Red Wings coach Mike Babcock sickened by Boston Marathon tragedy

Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock, middle, talks to his players during a timeout in the third period during an NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday, April 4, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. The Coyotes defeated the Red Wings 4-2. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

DETROIT -- The tragedy at the Boston Marathon Monday hit home to many, including Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock.

"It makes you sick to your stomach," Babcock said after practice Tuesday at Joe Louis Arena. "The people there are preparing to have one of the greatest days of their lives. I remember when my wife ran her first marathon. The jubilation at the end there in L.A. was unbelievable. You're there for a family event and then you hear an 8-year-old boy lost his life. The whole thing is enough to make you sick."

The bombs, that exploded seconds apart, were set up near the finish line, and killed three and wounded more than 170.

"It's hard to believe that this could be caused by human beings because you wouldn't think a human would be involved in something like this," Babcock said. "The reality of the situation is, the great part about living in the free part of the world, is that it's free so people do things that sometimes you would rather not happen. The reality is you're not going to let them get in the way of something you love to do and I'm sure the government and the state, everyone involved, is going to do whatever they can to try and be as safe as we can. But it was a tragic and horrible day."

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Babcock feels NHL security is good, but something could still go wrong if someone wanted it to at a league arena.

"NHL security does what they can," Babcock said. "Things can go wrong. It's part of living in the free part of the world, there are going to be things that go wrong, but in saying all that you can't let people, I don't believe anyway, get in a way of what you love to do.

"Our thoughts and our prayers go out to those families that were involved," Babcock continued. "It's a sickening, sickening thing. In saying that I assume they're really going to heighten security right now. You'd like to think things like this would never happen again, but you and I know that won't be the case. It's sad."